Events
Webinar: Avoiding Landmines in International Arbitration Clauses: Intermediate/Advanced Class
December 2 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
1 Participatory MCLE Credits
This is the first in a ten-part series on intermediate and advanced drafting of contract provisions. What risks arise from “standard” arbitration clauses in international commercial agreements and how can the provisions be improved? The panel will critique these provisions and explain their consequences and then discuss various versions for best practices.
Speakers: Patrick Byrne, Jeffery J. Daar, James C. Roberts, III
Non-Member Price
$75
Member Price
$35
Patrick Byrne focuses his practice on international investment treaty and commercial arbitration. His experience covers a variety of industries, including oil and gas, renewable energy, major infrastructure projects, real estate, banking, construction and mining, under various arbitral institutions and rules.
He also handles international sport disputes before the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Patrick recently helped obtained a $15 billion award against Malaysia on behalf of the heirs to the Sultan of Sulu, the largest unconsolidated award in arbitral history.
Before joining B. Cremades y Asociados, Patrick spent his early years as a U.S. litigator in his native California, where his practice spanned the breadth of U.S. dispute resolution, including mediation, arbitration, government investigations and hearings, jury trials and appeals.
In addition to his practice, Patrick serves as Adjunct Professor of Law at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, where he teaches common law principles to students in the International Advocacy LL.M. program. He is also a Founding Member of California Arbitration (CalArb).
Patrick is a dual citizen of the United States and the Republic of Ireland. He received his LLM from Queen Mary University of London, School of International Arbitration, his EU equivalent of a JD from Leiden University (EU Law, 2010), his US JD from University of California College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings) and his BA from University of California, San Diego (B.A., cum laude, 2007). He was just elected to the Executive Committee of the CLA International Law Section.
Jeffery J. Daar is a principal of the law firm Daar & Newman. He has more than 25 years of extensive experience in cross-border disputes including both in courts and arbitration, often collaborating with lawyers all over the world on every continent. His diverse expertise includes international arbitration and cross-border litigation and transactions, complex state and federal litigation, recognition and enforcement of foreign money judgments and arbitral awards, class actions, employment, trade secrets and technology disputes, insurance including insurance insolvency, appellate work, private post-secondary schools and colleges, and intellectual property.
Jeffery currently serves as an arbitrator in domestic and international arbitration matters, including for the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR), Japan Commercial Arbitration Association (JCAA), Vancouver International Arbitration Centre (VanIAC), Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration (SCIA), South China International Arbitration Center (HK) (SCIAHK), and the American Arbitration Association (AAA). He has much expertise in international arbitration and differing cultures, languages and legal systems. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. Jeffery was the Chair of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee of the California Lawyers Association (2020-2023) and remains an active member. He is a founder and President of California Arbitration, Inc. (CalArb) (2022-present.) He was co-founder and Co-Chair of California International Arbitration Week (2022, 2023, 2024, 2025). Jeffery is an internationally recognized speaker and writer on international law issues. For example, he is the Executive Editor of the 560 page handbook International Intellectual Property Law Basics, and Associate Editor of the handbook International Corporate Structures. Jeffery also holds and has held various leadership positions in other nonprofit organizations and political organizations. He received his JD from the University of California, Davis and his BA from Claremont McKenna College.
James C. Roberts III provides legal and strategic counsel to clients who create, finance or integrate tech, including small startups to the largest MNCs. He advises these clients on mergers & acquisitions, strategic alliances, joint ventures, licensing, intellectual property and international markets globally. For example, James negotiated the deal for one of the first VR titles for Google; the first commercial AI enterprise agreements in the EU; the first software licenses for the Peanuts characters and other properties such as The Flintstones; and several of the first SaaS deals. Previously, he founded The Atlantic Advisory Group, a strategic consulting firm advising technology companies on transborder M&A and expansion. Earlier he was at SRI International (formerly Stanford Research Institute), conducting strategic analysis in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
He is on the Executive Committee of the Business Law Section of the State Bar of California and formerly serviced as Chair and Vice Chair of the Licensing Interest Group of the State Bar of California.
He received his JD from the University of Chicago, his MA from Stanford University and his BS from the University of California—Berkeley. He “commutes” between California and Milan, Italy.
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